Washington – The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), along with its 19 member agencies, announced today the release of an amendment to Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.

Originally released on this day in 2010, Opening Doors is the nation’s first comprehensive Federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. The Plan provides a roadmap for coordinated, joint action among the 19 USICH member agencies in conjunction with local and state partners.

Since the launch of Opening Doors five years ago, the trajectory of homelessness in America has changed dramatically. According to the 2014 Point-in-Time count, overall homelessness has declined nationwide by 10 percent since 2010. Homelessness among families with children has decreased 15 percent. The number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness has fallen by 21 percent, and homelessness among Veterans has fallen by 33 percent. We also have more knowledge than ever about the unique circumstances facing youth experiencing homelessness.

This progress demonstrates that Opening Doors is the right plan with the right strategies for ending homelessness. The amendment reaffirms the core elements of the original Plan and adds new strategies that reflect lessons learned since 2010, ensuring that Opening Doors serves as a living blueprint with the latest knowledge and best practices to prevent and end homelessness.

“We’re releasing this Amendment at a critical moment for the country, as the time to act is now to achieve all the goals of Opening Doors,” stated USICH Executive Director Matthew Doherty. “We know that homelessness is a problem we can solve. By working together we will ensure that homelessness does not appear in the pages of American history as a permanent fixture, but as a problem the American people overcame.”

“Finding housing for people experiencing homelessness and giving them the tools they need to get back on their feet requires collaboration and an all-hands-on-deck approach,” said Thomas E. Perez, U.S. Secretary of Labor and Chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “Using Opening Doors as a blueprint, we have worked together to reduce homelessness among all populations. The updated Plan will allow us to continue to make progress toward our ambitious goal of ending homelessness across our country.”

Key new elements added to Opening Doors through this amendment include an operational definition for an end to homelessness, clarifications regarding the role of Medicaid in financing services for permanent supportive housing, an updated discussion of the use of metrics and accountability, improved guidance for retooling crisis response systems, and an incorporation of changes made in a 2012 amendment.

This Amendment also adjusts the goal of ending chronic homelessness from 2015 to 2017. The change reflects the need for additional resources to achieve the goal nationally, although there are states and communities who can achieve the goal ahead of 2017 if they continue to act with urgency and use existing resources in support of the most effective practices.

Right now, in communities across our nation, there are men and women who wore our country's uniform who don't have a place to call home. Some fought in wars as far back as Vietnam or Korea, and some served more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. These brave Americans risked their lives for us and our freedom - yet, tonight, they won't even have a roof over their heads.

To be clear, the vast majority of our veterans return home in good health and good spirits. They go on to build strong families and have successful careers. But we can all agree that even a single homeless veteran is one too many, and when we have tens of thousands of veterans who don't even have somewhere to go when it rains - that's a stain on our nation.

Everyone who has served America deserves a home in America. And while we know that we'll never be able to prevent every single housing crisis for our veterans, we also know that if we set up the right systems in our communities and devote enough resources, we can get our veterans and their families back into housing quickly - and permanently.

]]>2015-04-22T19:48:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/matthew-doherty-named-executive-director-of-us-interagency-council-on-hom
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/matthew-doherty-named-executive-director-of-us-interagency-council-on-hom#When:14:01:00ZWashington – U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez announced today that Matthew Doherty has been named Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH).

“With over 22 years of experience working to prevent and end homelessness with local communities across the country and across a wide variety of sectors, Matthew brings a unique background to the position that will serve USICH, the Council, and all people experiencing homelessness well,” said Secretary Perez, who serves as the Chair of the Council. “His ability to ensure the efforts happening at the Federal level are supporting progress in the field will enable us to continue to make strong gains as we strive to provide everyone with a safe, stable place to call home.”

Mr. Doherty was unanimously appointed to the role permanently during the April 14th Council meeting and had been serving as the interim Executive Director since Laura Green Zeilinger stepped down from the role in January of this year. Mr. Doherty joined USICH in 2012, previously serving as the agency’s Director of National Initiatives.

“I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the passion, knowledge and dedication Matthew brings to his work at USICH,” said U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro. “I’m confident that under Matthew’s stewardship, USICH will continue its track record of strong leadership and bring our nation closer to the goal of ending homelessness.”

As the Executive Director of USICH, Mr. Doherty is responsible for the implementation of Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, an effort that includes the coordination of Federal homelessness policies and strategies among 19 Federal departments and agencies, as well as partnerships with state and local communities, non-profits, and the private sector. Under his leadership, USICH provides technical assistance and support to communities across the country, building systems of care that ensure individuals, families, youth, and Veterans are able to obtain or regain permanent housing as quickly as possible and access services to remain stably housed.

“It is truly an honor to have this opportunity to carry forward the work of my predecessors and to work with the fantastic team of staff we have at USICH, both the team working here in DC and our Regional Coordinators working out in the field,” said Mr. Doherty. “USICH’s work is successful because of our strong partnerships with other Federal agencies and their incredibly committed leaders and staff, and because of the collaborative efforts of dedicated people working in states and local communities.”

Mr. Doherty brings to his role more than 22 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, focused on the creation of housing, services programs, and economic opportunities for disadvantaged communities and households. Prior to joining USICH, Matthew worked as a consultant and also held positions at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the San Diego Housing Commission, and the King County Housing Authority in Washington State. Matthew has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Washington. He and his husband Dean will be relocating to Washington D.C. from San Diego, California.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald today announced the award of nearly $93 million in Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) 3-year grants that will help approximately 45,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. The grants will be distributed to 24 non-profit agencies in 15 communities, with $30 million in awards being distributed to the Los Angeles area.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to using evidence-based approaches such as SSVF to prevent homelessness and produce successful outcomes for Veterans and their families,” said Secretary McDonald. “This is a program that works, because it allows VA staff and local homeless service providers to work together to effectively address the unique challenges that make it difficult for some Veterans and their families to remain stably housed.”

Under the SSVF program, VA is awarding grants to private, non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that provide services to very low-income Veteran families living in – or transitioning to – permanent housing. The grants announced today will provide additional resources to the fourth year operations of the SSVF program.

“With the addition of these crucial resources, communities across the country continue an historic drive to prevent and end homelessness among Veterans,” said Matthew Doherty, Acting Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “The SSVF program gives Veterans and their families the rapid assistance they need to remain in permanent housing or get back into permanent housing as quickly as possible.”

Through the homeless Veterans initiative, VA committed more than $1 billion in FY 2014 to strengthen programs that prevent and end homelessness among Veterans. VA provides a range of services to homeless Veterans, including health care, housing, job training and education.

]]>2015-03-31T19:24:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/hud-reports-continued-high-levels-of-worst-case-housing-needs
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/hud-reports-continued-high-levels-of-worst-case-housing-needs#When:20:31:00Z7.7 million households paid more than half their income for rent or lived in substandard housing

WASHINGTON –The number of very poor families struggling to pay their monthly rent and who may also be living in substandard housing declined between 2011 and 2013, but persist at high levels according to a new summary report released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD reports that in 2013, 7.7 million very low-income unassisted families paid more than half their monthly income for rent, lived in severely substandard housing, or both.

HUD’s Worst Case Housing Needs: 2015 Report to Congress is part of a long-term series of reports measuring the scale of critical housing problems facing very low-income un-assisted renters. Based on data from HUD’s most recent American Housing Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of these “Worst Case Housing Needs” declined from the previous record high in 2011 (7.7 million households) yet remain nearly 50 percent higher than in 2003. HUD will issue a final report on these worst case needs this spring.

“This report demonstrates the profound difficulties felt by millions of households struggling to pay their rent,” said Castro. “As our economy continues to improve, we need to ensure our budget provides opportunity for vulnerable families living on the margins and restores the harmful cuts to our rental assistance programs due to sequestration.”

Worst Case Housing Needs are defined as renters with very low incomes (below half the median in their area) who do not receive government housing assistance and who either paid more than half their monthly incomes for rent, lived in severely substandard conditions, or both. HUD’s report finds that housing needs cut across all regions of the country and included all racial and ethnic groups, regardless of whether they lived in cities, suburbs or rural areas. In addition, HUD concluded that large numbers of worst case needs were also found across various household types including families with children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.

HUD’s report found:

Worst case housing needs were 7.7 million in 2013, down from a historic high of 8.5 million in 2011. This represents a 9 percent decline since 2011 yet remains 9 percent greater than in 2009 and 49 percent greater than in 2003.

Worst case needs affect very low-income renters across racial and ethnic groups. The prevalence of worst case needs among such renters during 2013 was 44 percent for non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics, 35 percent for non-Hispanic Blacks, and 42 percent for others. The rate decreased between 2011 and 2013 for non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics but not for others.

Worst case needs also affect all types of households. In 2013, 2.8 million families with children, 1.5 million elderly households without children, 2.7 million other “nonfamily” households (unrelated people sharing housing), and 0.7 million “other family” households experienced worst case needs.

The vast majority (97 percent) of Worst Case Housing Needs are caused by severe rent burden—paying more than half of income for rent. Inadequate housing caused only three percent of worst case needs.

]]>2015-02-03T20:31:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/the-presidents-2016-budget-makes-investments-to-end-chronic-homelessness-in
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/the-presidents-2016-budget-makes-investments-to-end-chronic-homelessness-in#When:18:00:00ZThe President's 2016 Budget is designed to bring middle class economics into the 21st Century. This Budget shows what we can do if we invest in America's future and commit to an economy that rewards hard work, generates rising incomes, and allows everyone to share in the prosperity of a growing America. It lays out a strategy to strengthen our middle class and help America's hard-working families get ahead in a time of relentless economic and technological change. And it makes the critical investments needed to accelerate and sustain economic growth in the long run, including in research, education, training, and infrastructure.

The President’s 2016 Budget clearly demonstrates the high priority this Administration has for ending homelessness. In 2010, the President set ambitious goals to end homelessness across the Nation, and since then significant progress has been made. Major cities have hit important milestones toward the goals including New Orleans, Louisiana, which has ended veteran homelessness, and Salt Lake City, Utah and Phoenix, Arizona, which have ended chronic homelessness among veterans. Over 300 mayors, governors, and county executives have committed to ending veteran homelessness in their communities through the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. The overall number of veterans experiencing homelessness has declined by 33 percent—nearly 25,000 veterans—since 2010, and with continued focus from Federal, State, and local partners, we are on a path to end veteran homelessness by the end of 2015. The Budget continues to make investments to end chronic homelessness in 2017 and to make significant progress in ending homelessness across all other populations. In addition to targeted increases in HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants, the Budget provides 67,000 new Housing Choice Vouchers to support low-income households, including families experiencing homelessness; survivors of domestic and dating violence; families with children in foster care; youth aging out of foster care; and homeless veterans, regardless of their discharge status.

As we welcome home a new generation of returning heroes, the Budget makes sure they have the chance to live the American Dream they helped defend. It invests in the five pillars outlined to support our Nation’s veterans: providing the resources and funding they deserve; ensuring high-quality and timely health care; getting veterans their earned benefits quickly and efficiently; ending veteran homelessness; and helping veterans and their families get good jobs, education, and access to affordable housing.

The Department of Homeland Security again proposes to transfer the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to HUD, reducing fragmentation and synchronizing efforts to reduce homelessness.

]]>2015-02-02T18:00:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/hud-vash-program-to-expand-into-native-american-communities-for-the-first-t
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/hud-vash-program-to-expand-into-native-american-communities-for-the-first-t#When:21:00:00ZWASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the HUD and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program that helps homeless veterans find permanent supportive housing will, for the first time, expand directly into Native American communities. This support for veterans is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA.

The HUD-VASH program will now be opened to tribes so they may directly serve Native American veterans living on or near tribal lands. To expand the HUD-VASH program, $4 million will be invested specifically to support Native American veterans experiencing homelessness by providing them with secure housing and connecting them with clinical services and case management. This groundbreaking new effort will expand opportunity for approximately 650 veterans who are currently homeless or at risk of homelessness.

“Ensuring that our men and women who served in uniform receive the care and support they’ve earned is a national responsibility,” said HUD SecretaryJulián Castro. “But for too long, fulfilling that responsibility to many Native American veterans has been borne by Indian Country alone. We’re changing that this year.”

]]>2015-01-30T21:00:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/mayor-garcetti-announces-la-is-half-way-to-ending-veterans-homelessness-goa
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/mayor-garcetti-announces-la-is-half-way-to-ending-veterans-homelessness-goa#When:22:14:00ZCity wins funding for over 1,300 supportive homes for chronically homeless people and veterans

Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced that 3,375 homeless veterans were housed in LA in 2014, meaning the City is more than halfway toward Mayor Garcetti’s goal of ending veterans’ homelessness in Los Angeles by the end of 2015.

“Veterans returning home often need—and deserve—more than hug and pat on the back, which is why I set a goal last year to end veterans homelessness here in LA, and as a Navy Reservist, this goal is very personal for me,” said Mayor Garcetti. “I'm very proud to announce that we are halfway to our goal.”

Last year, the Mayor pledged to end veterans’ homelessness by the end of 2015. To do so, the Mayor has joined forces with the Home for Good initiative, a public and private partnership with over 100 members, led by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, the City housed 3,375 homeless veterans. The Mayor and Home for Good estimate that the City still has 3,154 homeless veterans.

Mayor Garcetti also announced new federal grant funding to further progress towards his goal. This week, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) was awarded almost $13 million in new federal funds to provide housing for chronically veterans and chronically homeless people. The award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was a record allocation for Los Angeles and will provide funding for supportive housing for 747 chronically homeless individuals and families, including veterans in the City of Los Angeles. In addition to the HUD award, last week HACLA set aside 600 additional vouchers to house homeless veterans.

“In the past week, the City has secured funding for 1,347 new permanent supportive homes for homeless veterans and chronically homeless individuals and families,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “This is another important step in keeping us on pace for ensuring that every veteran in the City has a home by Christmas.”

]]>2015-01-29T22:14:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/president-obama-praises-mayors-challenge-to-end-veteran-homelessness
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/president-obama-praises-mayors-challenge-to-end-veteran-homelessness#When:16:31:00ZPresident Obama delivered remarks to the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Friday, January 23, giving a special mention to the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelesness and the support of cities across the country as they work to end homelessness. The President specifically mentioned Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the success of New Orleans in ending Veteran Homelessness one year ahead of goal, and the cities of Phoenix, led by Mayor Greg Stanton, and Salt Lake City, led by Mayor Ralph Becker, which are quickly closing in on the goal of ending all Veteran homelessness by the end of 2015.

The White House released a fact sheet on the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, covering the items discussed throughout the conference by administration officials, including the work to end Veteran homelessness. See excerpt below:

VETERANS HOMELESSNESS: MARSHALING EFFORTS TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR OUR VETERANS
Through the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, local leaders across the country are ending Veteran homelessness in their communities. Since First Lady Michelle Obama launched the Mayors Challenge on June 4, 2014, 313 mayors and 101 county and city officials have signed on to the challenge. On August 26, 2014, President Obama announced a 33 percent decrease in Veteran homelessness since 2010. This progress includes a 43 percent decrease in the number of veterans sleeping on the streets.

New Orleans, LA Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D) one of the first Mayors to answer the First Lady’s call and sign on to the Mayors Challenge, fast-tracked local efforts to connect every homeless veteran with permanent housing. On January 7, 2015 New Orleans became the first major U.S. city to end homelessness among Veterans. Houston, TX Mayor Annise Parker (D), Phoenix, AZ Mayor Greg Stanton (D) and Salt Lake City, UT Mayor Ralph Becker (D) are poised to reach their goal by the end 2015.

]]>2015-01-26T16:31:00+00:00http://usich.gov/media_center/news/hud-awards-18-billion-for-local-homeless-programs
http://usich.gov/media_center/news/hud-awards-18-billion-for-local-homeless-programs#When:15:49:00ZThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released the following statement:

HUD AWARDS $1.8 BILLION FOR LOCAL HOMELESS PROGRAMSFunding supports goal to prevent and end homelessness

U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro today awarded $1.8 billion in grants to help nearly 8,400 local homeless housing and service programs across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands (see attached chart). The Continuum of Care grants announced today support the Administration’s efforts to end homelessness by providing critically needed housing and support services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness across the country.

In addition to renewing funding to thousands of effective existing projects, HUD is funding 25 new projects that will provide permanent supportive housing to individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness in areas with especially high need. These new projects were awarded as part of a special competition designed to help the Department make progress toward its goal of ending chronic homelessness. View a complete list of all the state and local homeless projects awarded funding.

“It’s a national shame that anyone would call the streets their home,” said Castro. “Working with our local partners, we’re redoubling our efforts to support permanent housing solutions for our veterans and those experiencing long-term chronic homelessness. We’re also focused on providing targeted assistance to families and young people who are falling between the cracks. As a nation, we can and must end homelessness.”

“Communities across the country are driving progress by implementing the strategies that work to end homelessness—Housing First, permanent supportive housing, and rapid rehousing,” said Matthew Doherty, Interim Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “The grants announced today are critical investments into these strategies, providing assistance to families and individuals so that they can remain in permanent housing or get back into permanent housing as quickly as possible and never experience the crisis of homelessness again.”